Donald Eugene Slike

Donald E. Slike, 87, of Camp Hill, PA passed away peacefully on April 19, 2025 with family at his side. Born on October 7, 1937, Don grew up in the small town of Sigel in Northwestern Pennsylvania as the only child of the late C. Raymond Slike and Geraldine (Overbeck) Slike. Don was a graduate of Eldred Township High School. One of Don's earliest jobs was working for Harry Truman at Truman's Store in Sigel. This was to foreshadow a long career in the grocery business. He met his wife of 67 years, Rose Marie (Plyler) Slike, in parochial school in Brookville, PA when they were young and reconnected after graduation from high school. Both shared a love of the outdoors including camping, hunting, and fishing which they passed on to their five children: Andrew Slike and his wife Christine, Christopher Slike and his wife Lesli, Julie Barr, Lisa Browning Liggett and husband David, and Timothy Slike and his wife Julia. There are eleven grandchildren: Shanna, Brandon, and Nicholas Slike; Rachael, Curtis and wife Cassie, and Mary Beth Slike; Kristiana and Katelyn Barr; Ian and wife Heather, and Robert Browning; and Lexie Slike. There are two great grandchildren: Camryn and Madelyn Slike.
Don moved his family to Camp Hill, PA in the early sixties to work for Alex Grass at Louis Lehrman and Sons wholesale grocers. Then he was hired away by Nissley "Shorty" Vandling to work for Handy Markets Convenience stores, advancing his way to become a full partner and eventually buy the business. Don built up the Handy Market Convenience store chain to over eighty stores which included Lynn's Markets grocery stores, Fleisher's Markets convenience stores, and Happy Wash Laundromats. Don sold the Handy Market store chain to Uni-Marts in 1988.
Don was an entrepreneur, always looking for his next project or business venture. He rented out and then later sold homes on Hillside Drive in New Cumberland. He partnered with others to build and sell townhomes and duplexes in the Bellefonte/State College area. He held a Wise Foods snack franchise and sold the product in his stores and wholesale to other retailers. He bought and leased commercial properties to such restaurant chains as Little Caesars Pizza, Pizza Hut, and Fox's Pizza Den as well as local banks and the Dollar General store chain. He was a member of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce, the Grocers Association, and the Bankers Association. His mind for business and finance led him to be on the Board of Directors for Farmers Trust Company, which later became Financial Trust Corporation working with bank President at the time, Ray Wolfe. While traveling to Boston, Massachusetts to take a daughter to college, Don discovered the White Mountain Creamery Franchise and acquired the franchise rights for central Pennsylvania, eventually opening five ice cream stores in the area. He owned or supported various car dealerships throughout his life. He enjoyed going to the Manheim car auction to search for quality vehicles to sell. The Slike family still owns and operates the Shermans Dale Beer and Beverage beer distributorship in Perry County. Don proudly employed various relatives including his own children over the years and through his generous spirit supported his family and others in business ventures of their own.
Don was raised in the Catholic faith, serving as an altar boy when he was young while his mother played the church organ at Mass. Upon moving to Camp Hill, he became a member of Good Shepherd Church. While Monsignor Vincent Smith was pastor, Don used his skills in business and real estate on the committee to locate, develop, and build the current site of Good Shepherd Church on Trindle Road in Camp Hill, PA.
He enjoyed a love of sports, animals, and outdoor activities. He played baseball and basketball growing up and encouraged his family to play sports as well, even coaching his sons in sports when they were young. In his youth, he trained Beagles to compete in field trials. He enjoyed having pet dogs and cats throughout his life, at times bringing home stray animals that became family pets. He had a farm in Perry County which allowed him to have goats, ducks, and horses and to ride a tractor as well as go motorcycling, snowmobiling, and hunting. He loved hunting with family, friends, and employees at his deer camp in Cook Forest, PA along the Clarion River. He enthusiastically arranged family winter activities like sledding, snowmobiling, or ice skating, while summer activities included inner tubing on the river, hiking, and giving wagon rides behind his tractor. He took fishing trips with family and friends to remote lake areas of Canada to fish for Northern Pike and Walleye. He took grandkids to International Falls, Minnesota to sleep on a houseboat and fish Rainy Lake. He went with family camping, boating, fishing, and RVing throughout his life, traveling to state parks in various states. He went to Hilton Head Island for many years with family and walked the beaches, did crabbing or fishing, grilled, ate oysters, watched nature such as alligators, turtles, and osprey, and stood in the gallery of the Heritage golf tournament cheering on the golfers. He travelled within and outside of the United States, enjoying places like Switzerland, Germany, and Austria in Europe and The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Acapulco, Mexico where he went deep sea fishing and caught a sailfish.
His love of animals continued throughout his whole life. He fed animals such as birds, squirrels, wild turkeys, and deer and would sit watching the animals wherever he was at the time – even successfully calling to owls and other birds who would return his call. He had the joyful experience of holding a baby kangaroo, petting reptiles, and viewing butterflies closeup in the last two years of his life.
Don had a strong work ethic, as was evidenced by his many life accomplishments and in how he provided for his family. His free time was spent with his family. His love and dedication to his family was ever present and he will be greatly missed until the day when they are united with him again in Heaven.
A mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 3435 Trindle Rd., Camp Hill, PA with Rev. Neil S. Sullivan as Celebrant. A visitation will be held in the church on Saturday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the mass. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Mechanicsburg.